I would hope that most professionals these days understand the importance that LinkedIn has become in social media, Internet presence, and career advancement. From having the ability to network with colleagues around the world to having an on-line biography for potential employers and recruiters to see, it is one of today’s “must have” tools for job seekers and professionals alike. RELATED: 7 Tips To Best Utilize LinkedIn To my surprise, last year I received an e-mail from the folks at LinkedIn congratulating me for having one of the top 1% most viewed LinkedIn profiles of the 200 million members in 2012. There are a couple of things you have to know about me to understand why this was such a surprise and then I would like to share what I have learned to better utilize LinkedIn. First, I come from a field where being anonymous was a key piece of staying successful (no, I am not a hacker), but have been in the law enforcement/security/intelligence field for over 30 years. People in my field generally do not want to be or are not allowed to be publicly identified for a variety of reason. But for me, the tragic incidents of September 11th changed that when I had Public Relations people tell me that the general public wants to know whether they are safe and what people in my field were doing to ensure it – so I did my first media interview. Second, as you may have guessed from above, being in my field for over 30-years makes me 1) a subject matter expert 2) a middle-aged person who didn’t grow up with the Internet and social media. In fact, not more than 10 years ago I swore I would never be on twitter or LinkedIn (thus the surprise at how far I had come) – it is a generational thing. So, as I began to do media interviews, lecture, and write for numerous blogs and publications, I began to see the benefits of social media, especially LinkedIn. In fact, many people from the media told me that before they contacted me for an interview they looked at my LinkedIn profile. I currently have over 1,100 connections on LinkedIn, and whether you think this is high or low, my profile is still constantly being viewed and there are some things I have learned about being successful on LinkedIn if you wish for it to help advance your career or land a job.
Everyone has heard of New Year's resolutions. You know, those promises we make to ourselves about things we'll do better in the year ahead. Sometimes these resolutions work, while other times we end up with gym memberships we never use! But have you ever heard of a career resolution? It's actually the same thing as a New Year's resolution, only career-focused.
However, with something as important as a career, you don't want to break these resolutions. That's why it's important to keep these goals manageable.
Here are four simple career resolutions that are easy to stick to and achieve.
Be Self-Aware Of Where You Stand In Your Career
BigstockBeing honest and self-aware of where you are in your career is the most important step in making strong career resolutions. If your career is going nowhere and you're unhappy, then it may be time to consider a career change, which will take you down a different path entirely.
But if you're happy and in good standing with your career, it's a lot easier to set goals for the year and build out a long-term career plan.
Find A Way To Grow Your Career
BigstockCareer growth is a very broad spectrum that means something different to everyone. It could be something as simple as improving on a weakness or building on a strength. It could also be learning a new skill or taking on additional responsibilities at work.
On a larger level, it could be seeking a promotion or moving into a leadership role.
Whatever the goal is, make sure it includes growing professionally. The worst thing you can do is stay the same! If you're not growing your career, you're dying—and becoming a lot less valuable to your employer. There are always ways to upskill!
Better Serve Your Professional Network
With current colleagues, former colleagues, and other professional acquaintances, you've probably built a solid professional network through the years. A strong professional network can come in handy if you lose your job or are looking to make a career change. However, you shouldn't just rely on your network when you're in need!
It's important to find ways to offer value to your network. This could include checking in with members of your network from time to time. Exchange messages on LinkedIn to see how they're doing or share relevant content of interest. If you can help someone in your network going through a career challenge, you should!
Maintaining a strong professional network is like an investment. If you want it to pay off, you have to put some time into it and be consistent.
Take Care Of Yourself
Bigstock
Working on your career is hard work! It's okay to be selfish sometimes. Whether you're working to grow your career or looking for a new job, it's important to find balance.
Your family and health always come first, so make sure your career goals don't interfere with that. If you want to set aside time during the week to work on your career that's fine, but don't miss important family events or milestones.
Don't let your career goals get in the way of your health goals. Go to the gym, take a walk, or go for a jog. Balance is key to maintaining healthy career and life goals. Sometimes you just need to adjust that balance as you go.
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.